The present invention relates to a protective accessory device and more particularly a type of device adapted to be carried by persons for self protection in the event of threat of bodily harm which device also includes audible and visual alarms as well as personal convenience accessories such as a flashlight.
It is a well known statistic that crimes against persons having increased in recent years. Accordingly, many people engaged in recreational and business activities frequently carry or maintain close at hand various protective devices of the type which will emit an immobilizing propellent or spray such as CS, CN or OC gas. It is also known to combine nonlethal immobilizing propellent devices in other devices such as a flashlight to provide the added convenience of a light and also to provide a deceptive appearance.
The following patents show representative multi-purpose devices of the general type having a defense or convenience feature:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,277 discloses a multipurpose baton for law enforcement personnel which combines a night stick, blinding light and electric probe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,034 discloses a self protection device incorporating a flashlight, buzzer, flasher and electric shock device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,883 discloses a runner's baton that can be held in the hand or worn on a belt. The baton includes a segmented cylinder having interchangeable compartments for holding various items needed by the runner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,807 discloses a non-lethal self defense weapon having a housing, a power source, a pair of spaced probes for emitting an electrical shock and a source of light. Circuitry is provided for synchronizing the light pulses and the associated voltage potential at the probe so that the light pulses temporarily blind the assailant while the probes provide increased voltage pulses.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,901 discloses a combined night stick, flashlight and audible alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,429 shows a combination flashlight and propellent discharge device which can discharge Mace, teargas, or other commercially available propellants.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,716,170; 3,638,836; and 2,629,516 are representative of prior art devices having a combination chemical ejector and light.
While the foregoing patents are representative of devices which provide protective devices in combination with other features, such devices have not been generally accepted for a variety of reasons and have certain disadvantages. Common disadvantages are that these devices are often awkward, bulky and inconvenient. Further, the prior devices are not designed for effective use as a defensive device while simultaneously emitting a nonlethal defense or deterrent spray.
Therefore, these exists a need for a combination personal accessory device and protective device that is convenient, attractive, properly balanced and provides the necessary personal and emergency features in a propellent discharge device.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved nonlethal defense device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a defense device which may be conveniently carried by the user while engaged in recreational activities such as jogging, walking or running.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a self defense device which has provision for containment of personal articles and which can emit an audible and/or visual alarm signal in the event of an emergency.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a self defense device having a convenient baton-like configuration which will emit or dispense deterrent chemicals when the device is held in an upright, self defense position.
Briefly the present invention relates to a non-lethal self defense device having a central grip with opposite housing members and when assembled has a baton-like configuration. The opposite housing members may be variously configured to contain ordinary flashlight or audible and visual emergency signal devices. A replaceable, non-lethal spray canister is contained in the device with nozzle and actuator positioned to aim the spray away from the user and toward an assailant when the grip is properly grasped.